Shirone’s assumption was correct, and the merchant even deduced that they hadn’t been in Purgatory for long.
Merchant: "Hmm, I could negotiate, but I doubt you can afford it. Spirits are incredibly hard to come by, even in Purgatory. I’m planning to take this back to the mainland; I’m just passing through the sanctuary."
Shirone had expected it to be valuable, but being outright refused made him nervous.
Could they buy it with three White Elixirs? If he confidently tried and fell short, Amy’s disappointment would only grow.
Needing a basis for judgment, Shirone set aside haggling and asked a question.
Shirone: "I’ve heard spirits can form contracts. Is that possible with this spirit?"
Merchant: "A contract? Oh, a contract. Of course, it’s possible. But what would you do with a fire spirit?"
Shirone: "If you contract with a fire spirit, you can use fire magic, right?"
Merchant: "That’s true, but... people usually don’t waste precious spirits on contracts. Having a spirit in a village makes life so much easier. That’s why villages usually pool Elixirs to buy them. Outsiders might buy them for contracts since they live in harsh areas and have plenty of Elixirs, but those folks are the type to risk their lives. I don’t think you’re living that kind of life."
Shirone: "Hmm, so a contract is possible, right?"
When Shirone pressed, the merchant nodded reluctantly.
This was a common reaction on the mainland. Bunch of nobodies with no ability to pay would make demands, and some would even be spies trying to devalue items.
If outsiders participated, the auction would end there, but they usually ignored anything but special spirits. Most of the time, it was a blood-draining bidding war on thin ice.
Amy fidgeted with her fingers. She was an expert at haggling, but now she couldn’t say a word.
In a world where gold coins were currency, she would have emptied her savings to buy it. But this was Purgatory, where only things tied to life had value.
In such a situation, she didn’t want to trouble Shirone by showing her desire.
Shirone already knew. For a mage, improving magical power was everything, so he wanted to get it for her if possible.
Sensing the moment of decision had come, Shirone asked again.
Shirone: "Then how many Elixirs would it take to buy the spirit?"
The merchant chuckled dismissively. But seeing Shirone’s intense gaze, he put on a serious expression and thought for a moment.
Merchant: "Hmm, if you’re buying it here, at least..."
Shirone’s heart pounded. No matter the price, he hoped they could afford it with the Elixirs they had.
As expected, the price was high, and the merchant was cautious. He hesitated before continuing.
Merchant: "One White Elixir..."
Disappointment filled Shirone and Amy’s eyes. The fact that the unit was White Elixirs significantly lowered the odds.
After finishing his thoughts, the merchant raised his head and named his price.
Merchant: "I’d need at least one."
Shirone doubted his hearing, which had never failed him before.
One was within their means.
Realizing the same, Amy trembled with anxiety, as if someone might snatch it away.
Shirone weighed the options. At first, he thought it would be great if they could afford it, but a mage knows to let go of past thoughts without regret.
But when he looked at Amy, he couldn’t help but laugh. Biting her lower lip, she whispered almost inaudibly.
Amy, the only daughter of the Carmis family, had grown up so privileged she didn’t know what material desire was. But when it came to magic, she was just another mage.
The merchant took Amy’s "I want it" as resignation. White Elixirs were something even mainland merchants rarely handled, so it was natural for newcomers to Purgatory to despair.
Thinking of his own daughter, the merchant comforted Amy.
Merchant: "White Elixirs are hard to come by. Honestly, I’ve already discounted this a lot. If I take it to the mainland, I’ll have a lot of trouble. It’s dangerous too. I’m only selling it here in Noor’s Sanctuary because I can get rid of it and go home. You guys seem serious, so I calculated carefully. Don’t be too disheartened. Maybe someday, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a fire spirit."
Shirone: "I’ll buy it."
Shirone: "I said I’ll buy it."
When Shirone rummaged through his pocket, the merchant blinked like a fool. It was clearly a prank, but he couldn’t decide whether to get angry or laugh it off.
But when three Elixirs rolled out of Shirone’s hand, the merchant fell out of his chair in shock.
The iridescent spectrum alone confirmed they were White Elixirs.
Shirone: "Here. Can I take it now?"
The merchant could only nod silently. Shirone placed the White Elixir directly into his hand.
At the same time, Amy pulled the spirit cage into her arms.
A warm sensation spread through her.
This was Amy’s life now.
Merchant: "Hey, are you okay? Isn’t it hot?"
The merchant, having confirmed the Elixir was genuine, asked with concern.
Fire spirits were differentiated from inanimate objects by their activation, but until a contract was formed, they were still fire. Grabbing a heated iron cage should have burned her.
Amy: "Huh? No. It’s just warm."
Merchant: "That’s strange. Can I check it again? It’s my product, but my conscience is bothering me. It might be defective."
Amy: "No, it’s fine. This is definitely a fire spirit."
Amy lovingly watched the fire spirit bouncing in the air. Then, using the mental channel, she spoke to Shirone.
Amy (telepathically): "Shirone, it’s a Spirit Zone."
Shirone (telepathically): "Spirit Zone?"
Amy (telepathically): "Yes. This is amazing. It’s real fire, but it’s also connected to my mind. I can feel it constantly."
Mages don’t get burned by the fire they create. It’s real fire, but since the creator is a mage, it’s safe.
According to Amy, the spirit might also have a fixed Spirit Zone. It had become a kind of spiritual sublimation.
Merchant: "By the way, how did you get White Elixirs?"
Shirone: "From the Vortex Serpent."
Merchant: "The Vortex Serpent? Don’t tell me you destroyed the valley’s law?"
Shirone: "It just happened."
It wasn’t strange for a mage strong enough to defeat the Vortex Serpent to have White Elixirs.
While not common, such individuals definitely existed in Purgatory. Merchants called them outcasts or outsiders.
Merchant: "But how do you form a contract?"
Shirone: "Ah, I’m not sure, but I’ve seen an outcast do it. They held the spirit and muttered something, and it just disappeared."
Since spirits lacked reason, it probably wasn’t keyword-activated. That left incantation magic.
Speak and resonate. Connecting with the fire was crucial.
Amy used the key the merchant gave her to open the cage. Then, cradling the spirit in both hands, she improvised an incantation.
Amy: "Spirit of Fire, dwell within me."
As the fire spirit merged with Amy, a warm energy filled her stomach.
Forming a contract with a spirit was like discovering a new battery. Separate from the ignition battery, Ignite, she could now channel a new fire.
When Amy summoned the spirit, a fireball rose and circled around her. Smiling contentedly, she recalled the name of a mythical flame from ancient times.
Also known as will-o’-the-wisps, this phenomenon had eluded countless scholars’ hypotheses and faded into myth.
But no longer. Jack O’ Lantern existed in Heaven as ancient magic.
The fire spirit was strategically useful.
First, it could activate independently of Ignite, and it could move along desired trajectories, even splitting into multiple illusions like phantoms.
Guiding, deception, multi-shot—strategies kept popping up.
Noticing Shirone’s gaze, Amy dismissed the spirit.
She wanted to thank him, but the words wouldn’t come out. It felt awkward.
This was different from receiving an expensive gift. Perhaps what she had received was Shirone’s heart.
Shirone smiled. Then, as if he knew she wouldn’t say anything, he turned and walked away.
Only then did Amy start to regret. Why hadn’t she said anything? Did he know how she felt? Or was the gift meaningless from the start?
Shirone wasn’t one for pretense, but sometimes it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
Shirone carefully examined the items.
Watching Amy contract with the fire spirit made him realize that the idea of finding something to bring back to their world was naive.
Heaven was a dangerous place where life and death intertwined, and if they were to strengthen themselves, they needed to find combat-ready items immediately. If such things existed, buying them, no matter the cost, would increase their chances of survival.
Noor’s Sanctuary was primarily a place for heretics belonging to the community, so most of the items for sale were daily necessities.
Of course, there were merchants with special items. They were just too expensive to display openly.
When the merchants realized Shirone had White Elixirs, a man quietly placed an item on his stall.
Tess ran over and pointed at it.
Tess: "Oh my! Isn’t this that thing?"
It was a mechanical device shaped like a beetle.
A drone made by the Mech race.
Clove rushed over to explain. Realizing Shirone was a big spender, he became even more enthusiastic.
In addition to the reconnaissance and language-decoding functions they already knew about, it had radio communication and map display capabilities.
Clove: "How about it? Want to trade for a White Elixir? You know drones aren’t something you can buy with just Elixirs. They’re exclusive to citizens."
Shirone was also positive about the item. He had experienced the drone’s reconnaissance abilities through Kanya. If Tess could use it, it would be an excellent support tool.
Then Arin suggested they might be able to haggle a bit. The merchant’s initial price seemed inflated.
But the low price was suspicious.
If the fire spirit was a commodity, the drone was a limited-edition item. If it was a leaked citizen’s item, the price might be justified.
Shirone (telepathically): "Arin, do you think there’s a defect? Otherwise..."
Arin (telepathically): "I had the same thought, but I’m not sure. Either way, the price is inflated. You’ll have to figure out the rest."
Tess couldn’t take her eyes off the drone. As someone fascinated by ancient relics, she would definitely accept it, defect or not.
Shirone asked on her behalf.
Shirone: "How did you get this? I heard drones are only issued to Mecha."
Merchant: "Of course. But even Mecha have heretics. He probably stole it before fleeing to Purgatory. Selling just one would be enough to live comfortably. See this band connecting the drone’s edges? It’s proof it’s never been used. Straight from the factory. The original owner must have worked in a Mech facility."
Shirone: "Where is that person now?"
Merchant: "Who knows? He might have fled, or he might be dead. Probably dead. When Heaven’s items appear on the market, it’s usually like that. They steal Heaven’s items to earn Elixirs, then die in Purgatory, leaving only the items behind."